Why does it look like you have less hair?

[punchinella]

The other day I was doing my hair in a ponytail and my daughter says why does it look like you have less hair aren't you a member of that hair board? I thought it was just me but I chalked it up to hair anorexia. But it does seem like I have less hair now (which prompted me to try the regime in Supergirl's post). I will see how that goes.

I don't know if I was so gung-ho when I joined the site that I just wanted to try everything and now I don't know what went wrong.

 

[Avin'sMom2010]

What is your hair regimen?? Sometimes it is better to keep it simple, that's what I'm trying to do, I shampoo/conditioner wash daily use 1 leave in and that's it.

 

[firecracker]

Take time and reevaluate the hair changes you made since you joined us. Maybe you are doing too much at once. Don't despair when I first joined the board I went crazy with surge on my relaxed hair without a protective style or moisture. Boy did my hair thin out and the ends suffered. Everything is going to turn around just you watch.

 

[MissFallon]

It could be because of shrinkage because you haven't had a relaxer in a while (since april according to your siggy). How do you wear your hair everyday? Generally most ppl don't worry too much about checking the length until their next relaxer or until they straighten. After you relax your hair and it still seems to be less than you should think about changing your regimen. Do you use heat?

 

[punchinella]

Well I have cut back alot since I first came here. I was co-washing 3x a wk, and washing/deep conditioning 1x a wk. At night I would put mtg oil on my scalp and put on a plastic cap. I use S-curl and jojoba oil to seal in the moisture and I air dry.
Now I co wash 1x a wk and shampoo/deep cond 1x a wk. I use Rusk Leave-in mixed with Infusium Moisturizing. Add s-curl and jojoba daily. I have not used any heat since June. Oh yeah and I am almost 20 wks post.

 

[punchinella]

It could be because of shrinkage because you haven't had a relaxer in a while (since april according to your siggy). How do you wear your hair everyday? Generally most ppl don't worry too much about checking the length until their next relaxer or until they straighten. After you relax your hair and it still seems to be less than you should think about changing your regimen. Do you use heat?

It's not so much shrinkage, my ponytail looks skinny. erplexed

 

[pet]

Ya know, people comment on my hair also by saying "Wasn't your hair longer"? And the thing is, I don't see it! I don't see my hair dropping out dramatically so it is very weird. I have a tendency to want to try EVERYTHING, so my advice to you is to keep it as simple as possible. What works for other people might not necessarily work for you.

 

[sherann]

If you are using a really heavy conditioner and leave-in, it can make your hair look less full. See how it looks after your next relaxer. I have fine hair and at home I can't seem to make my hair feel smooth (so it doesn't snag when I comb it) unless I use a heavy conditioner but at the same time, my hair looks so much thinner when I do this.

 

[Lovelylocs]

Punchinella, Are you shedding alot?

 

[Sistaslick]

Well I have cut back alot since I first came here. I was co-washing 3x a wk, and washing/deep conditioning 1x a wk. At night I would put mtg oil on my scalp and put on a plastic cap. I use S-curl and jojoba oil to seal in the moisture and I air dry.
Now I co wash 1x a wk and shampoo/deep cond 1x a wk. I use Rusk Leave-in mixed with Infusium Moisturizing. Add s-curl and jojoba daily. I have not used any heat since June. Oh yeah and I am almost 20 wks post.

This may be it right here. With 20 weeks of newgrowth, your ends probably do look crazy thin-- especially if you are airdrying on top of that. The area near your scalp has much more "volume" than those ends do. Imagine a 20 weeks of curls together versus bonestraight ends together. Basically:

~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------​

When you put them together, the ends will always appear to be thinner. You can't really make a final determination until you 1.) relax and/or 2.) straighten your hair out with heat. And whatever you do, don't trim your hair at this time. Do it after you relax, or after a thorough heat straightening. Airdried and relaxer stretched ends are infamous for looking sickly and thin-- especially if your hair is naturally fine. If your ponytail still looks terribly thin after you've done that, then you know something in that regimen is going wrong. If you aren't noticing breakage, I would hesitate to jump regimen ships so quickly. You may end up creating a problem where is none.

 

[blueabyss333]

This may be it right here. With 20 weeks of newgrowth, your ends probably do look crazy thin-- especially if you are airdrying on top of that. The area near your scalp has much more "volume" than those ends do. Imagine a 20 weeks of curls together versus bonestraight ends together. Basically:

~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------
~~~~~~ -----------​

When you put them together, the ends will always appear to be thinner. You can't really make a final determination until you 1.) relax and/or 2.) straighten your hair out with heat. And whatever you do, don't trim your hair at this time. Do it after you relax, or after a thorough heat straightening. Airdried and relaxer stretched ends are infamous for looking sickly and thin-- especially if your hair is naturally fine. If your ponytail still looks terribly thin after you've done that, then you know something in that regimen is going wrong. If you aren't noticing breakage, I would hesitate to jump regimen ships so quickly. You may end up creating a problem where is none.

...WHAT SHE SAID

 

[MizaniMami]

...WHAT SHE SAID

Ditto! That woman know whst she is talking about!

 

[Ayeshia]

sometimes I feel as if my hair is thin too...but when it comes time for that blow out and my arms start aching I know its anything but having no hair

 

[punchinella]

My hair was shedding, but it has slowed down somewhat. I did notice some breakage earlier but that has aslo slowed down.

Thanks ladies I plan to relax on Monday and I will see if there is any difference then.

 

[Barbara]

Less manipulation is better for the hair, and keep a simple regimen.